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Now I Lay Me Down: The Third Book by Faith Phillips

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Here we are, nearly finished with April, and I wonder how the full moon’s treating you? Here in Okieland, the moon always makes for prodigious creative output, just like clockwork.

Speaking of creative output, my third book will be released this summer.  Here’s the blurb:

“From the author of Ezekiel’s Wheels and It’s Not That Hard To comes the true crime novel Now I Lay Me Down. Ten years ago, two little girls went for a walk down a dirt road and never made it back home. Their brutal murders sent a sleepy Oklahoma community into a spiral of grief and sparked the largest investigative pursuit in OSBI history. Pressure mounted when the investigative team ruled out an exhaustive list of suspects and the remains of another young woman were discovered in a smoldering fire. The untested Assistant District Attorney, not long out of law school, found herself heading up a “War Room” assembled by officials to catch the killer. This is the true life story of three murdered girls and the Oklahoma woman who pursued their killer.”

I’ve been working on this book for just over a year now. It was wild work, serving as proof that the truth really is stranger than fiction. Since I began writing books a great number of people have approached me to ask if I would write their story – and while I believe every life is book worthy, I always decline because I have enough material swirling in my own head to last a lifetime.

But one fine September evening a couple of years ago I sat around a campfire by the river with several women. One of them told me she had a true story that she thought I ought to write down. I rolled my eyes in the dark thinking, “here we go again”. But then the things she told me made my hair stand on end. I knew that very night that I would have to write the book.

The research and interviews took me to murder sites, courthouses, isolated back roads and sleepy little towns. The paperwork included thousands of court documents, news articles, web sites and yes, some correspondence with a convicted killer.

While the catalyst for the book is very sad, there is also redemption. That redemption is found in a young, struggling Okie girl who grew up to seek justice for other girls much like herself, who never got that chance.

Look for release dates, book signing dates and all new announcements right here on ReadBooksBy.Faith

Shine ON, as always.

Faith

Rosie’s New Boot

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 Even Roseanne Barr was shocked when the Neilsen ratings rolled in after the debut reboot of her self-titled ABC sitcom. The Tuesday night hour-long premiere blew ratings through the roof by all accounts, surpassing numbers for smash hit series like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. “Roseanne”’s numbers even eclipsed the much anticipated 60 Minutes interview with Stormy Daniels. The comedian tweeted her gratitude to fans and also acknowledged her writers on the show – whom she identified as “all Liberals”.

Barr’s lightning rod Twitter account actively courts controversy, beginning with her run for President in 2012, when she actually appeared on the ballot for the Peace and Freedom Party and placed sixth overall in the general election. Since that time the comedian tweeted out a number of objectively offensive tweets, many of which she deleted in recent history. But in the last few months Barr’s tweets began to adopt a more promotional tone in anticipation of the new television show.

Frenzied reactions erupted from social media and pop culture sites alike with the announcement of “Roseanne” the reboot . Political polar opposites spewed furious rants over the return of the self-styled ‘Domestic Goddess’. More than a few pundits called for boycotts of the program. The right bemoaned socially progressive themes discussed in the show, including gender fluidity, feminism, and body autonomy. The left howled because the main character, Roseanne Conner, admits in the first episode that she supports President Trump – a decision that mirrors the real-life political leanings of Roseanne Barr. A twitter handle by the name of #BoycottRoseanne called for the show’s cancellation based on Barr’s “racism, homophobia, antisemitism and hate speech”. Meanwhile, the right wing group known as One Million Moms also called for a boycott based on the inclusion of a character that promotes the “transgender agenda” that they claim amounts to “child exploitation at its worst”. One convulsive radio host declared a new episode in the “culture war”. Finally, a show that brings both sides of the political spectrum together in collective contempt!

Now prepare yourself for our special Okie twist to the Roseanne news: Tulsa ranked as the #1 market nationally for the Roseanne premiere according to Neilsen Media and the Hollywood Reporter. That’s right, we landed on top of a national ranking again! Here’s the thing … rather than crawling into the nearest shame-cave, perhaps we can just straight up admit that many Oklahomans identify with the dire themes “Roseanne” tosses into its levity blender. Can it be that humor in sitcom form serves as a chaser of sorts, in order to make the hard liquor, ahem, I meant issues, somewhat more palatable?

Let us consider the state’s most dismal national rankings in the areas of healthcare (#49), suicide (#13), opioid abuse (#1), divorce (#1), and the fact that the recent national economic upturn has not been reflected in the home state’s economy, not even close, with a national poverty ranking of  #10.

Who among us will approach the Easter dinner table without a relative packing some sort of heat on his or her person? Doesn’t everyone anticipate a non-p.c., or vulgar joke told by a snickering cousin, just outside Grandma’s earshot? How about the fact that most families count at least one Trump voter among their ranks? Most Oklahomans experience that bowel-gripping fear in their gut, regardless of political affiliation, the moment a political bomb drops in the family setting. Perhaps that is why the return of “Roseanne” was received so well in Oklahoma – maybe it felt like coming home, even if it is a loving, dysfunctional, accursed home.

When questioned about her politics on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Roseanne said, “a  lot of your audience and including me, I just want to say this, Jimmy, a lot of us, you know, no matter who we voted for, we don’t want to see our president fail. Because we don’t want Pence.”

According to the social media echo chambers, Roseanne’s new show doesn’t deserve a place on air. But its undeniable popularity in Oklahoma demonstrates that our fractured families and divided society remain in dire need of repair. We can only hope that laughter might begin to facilitate that discussion. In that way, no place proved more hilarious than our own little T-Town last Tuesday  night.

Special Edition Flog: Days 31 – 40

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Day 31

Say WHAT??!! Live a life of freedom

Psalm 34 This psalm is full of guidance promises to those who face ‘many troubles’ (v.19). Your life should reflect your new freedom as a child of God. The apostle Peter quotes this psalm in one of his letters as evidence of the kind of life we should lead.

Peter introduces David’s call to righteous living with the explanation that it is ‘to this you were called’ (1 Peter 3:9): ‘Whoever among you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears attentive to their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil’ (Psalm 34:12–16a; 1 Peter 3:10–12).

‘The Lord… saves’ (Psalm 34:18). You cannot save yourself. It is the Lord who sets you free. Our God rescues us. He watches over you, waiting to hear your prayer: ‘His ears are attentive to [your] cry’ (v.15). When we do cry out, ‘the Lord hears’ (v.17), and delivers us from all our ‘troubles’ (v.17).

God does not say that there won’t be any troubles (v.19a), but he does promise to deliver you from them all (v.19). He is especially close in the tough times, ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit’ (v.18). When you are going through a difficult time, you may not necessarily feel God is close, but he is: ‘God is there every time’ (v.19).

God pays for each slave’s freedom’ (v.22). He promises that there is no condemnation for those who take ‘refuge in him’ (v.22, see Romans 8:1). You have a righteousness from God through Christ, hence, you can include yourself in the category of ‘the righteous’ (Psalm 34:17,19,21).

Day 32

Pledge Your Faith

Jesus puts faithfulness alongside justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23). Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Mother Teresa said, ‘I do not pray for success. I ask for faithfulness.’ God’s faithfulness towards us gives us an example to follow in our own relationships. Faithfulness is something we should strive for in marriage, friendships and in our relationship with God.

Trust that God is faithful. The birth of Jesus shows God’s faithfulness. Everything that God had promised to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, took place ‘just as they had been told’ (v.20). Yet God’s faithfulness to them was part of something even greater. We begin to see how Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises in the Old Testament. He is born in ‘the town of David’ (v.11), and his earthly father is ‘of the house and line of David’ (v.4). He is the promised king to whom the whole Old Testament points, ‘he is the Messiah’ (v.11). This is ‘good news… for all the people’ (v.10). We see here a glimpse of what that means for us. Jesus is your ‘savior’ (v.11), through whom you can know the peace and favor of God (v.14). You no longer need to carry a burden of fear (‘Do not be afraid’, v.10). In knowing Christ, you know God. He himself is God; he is ‘the Lord’ (v.11). God’s faithfulness and love are the bedrock on which everything else is built.

Day 33

Luke 2 This chapter is too long to send in its entirety, but to sum it up here, Mary and Joseph bring their newborn son to the Temple. A righteous and devout man named Simeon recognizes the baby as the savior, and an old woman Anna (who is a prophet) begins to sing praises in recognition of the presence of the savior. Mary and Joseph were amazed by this reception for their baby in the Temple. Finally, the chapter concludes by saying they returned to Nazareth, where the boy grew to be strong and “full of wisdom”. Even as a baby, Jesus was recognized as the prophesied savior by many sources. The wise men, Simeon, the prophet Anna, and later even the rabbis will be impressed by the teachings of the young Jesus. As people who pray and study this faith that we have been taught by those we trust the most, let us every day recognize what Simeon and Anna recognized even in the infancy of Jesus. Let us recognize the gift, let us be amazed every day and like him, be full of strength and wisdom. Tomorrow we begin the last week of study together for this season. I will pray that your week is full of grace, love and spirit. Happy Sunday, Loved Ones!

Day 34

How do we develop intimacy with our Father? The word tells us we should be open, vulnerable, honest, we must grow in wisdom, and sometimes we must be willing to be still and listen.

Paul, writing about the Holy Spirit, says, ‘For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. (Romans 8:15).

Wisdom is willingness to listen to and learn from others. Jesus was ‘sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions’ (Luke 2:46). Often, those who know most speak the least.

Wisdom brings clarity. Jesus knew where he should be and what he should do. He declared, ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ (v.49). Wisdom is about the whole of life, rather than just our intellect or our words.

Wisdom should grow
Through his intimate relationship with God, ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and people’ (v.52)

Stand still and listen
You cannot develop an intimate relationship with God without setting aside time to communicate with him.

Your intimacy with God needs to overflow into the way in which you live your life. Put into practice the things that God shows you in the place of intimacy.

There are times when it is not always clear how God is guiding us. Moses’ example is a good one. When the people asked Moses a difficult question to which he did not know the answer, he replied, ‘Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you’  If you don’t know the right answer it is wise to ask people to ‘wait’. This gives you time to pray and to find out from God the right way forward.

Your life’s joy and passion will grow with your level of intimacy. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him (Deuteronomy). It is a good Monday, Loved Ones, Let It Loose

Day 35

A Note On Fasting as we approach the end of ours: “You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord? No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.” Isaiah 58

Day 36

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 One of the greatest gifts of believing is the peace that comes from true faith. That isn’t to say that struggles don’t continue as we mature and grow (sometimes they become even more frequent) but the gift of peace comes along with wisdom, knowing that these struggles are necessary to prepare us for something greater. Chief Mankiller said in the documentary last night that the violent car accident she barely lived through was necessary because it taught her to live in service, and that was the piece of her personality that was missing for her to become a great leader. It takes wisdom to be able to see how our pain enables growth. Whenever Chief spoke her peace was evident. Her wisdom was evident. She was filled with both, to the extent that her peace and wisdom radiated out onto people all around. Blessed are the peacemakers. Let us go out and make peace.

With constant love and faithfulness, Faif

Day 37
Accept Your Father’s Generosity and Give Generously

God’s generosity is seen in the natural world. There are 25,000 varieties of orchids. The orchid is just one of 270,000 species of flowers. In our galaxy there are over 100,000 million stars like our sun. Our galaxy is one of over 100,000 million galaxies. It is thought that for every grain of sand there are a million stars. The writer in Genesis tells us, ‘He also made the stars’ (Genesis 1:16).

Our Father is extravagantly generous with us. David speaks of the Creator’s ‘… river of delights’ (Psalm 36:8)’. He ‘gives generously to all’ (James 1:5).

David knew God (v.10) and drank from his ‘river of delights’ (v.8b).

God’s love is ‘meteoric’
His love ‘reaches to the heavens’ (v.5).God’s faithfulness is ‘astronomic’
His faithfulness reaches ‘to the skies’ (v.5).God’s purpose is ‘titanic’
His righteousness is ‘like the highest mountains’ (v.6).God’s justice is ‘oceanic’
His justice is ‘like the great deep’ (v.6).

You can find ‘refuge’ in the shadow of his wings (v.7). You can ‘feast’ in the abundance of his house (v.😎. The ‘fountain of life’ is found in him (v.9). In his light you ‘see light’ (v.9).

Jesus returned to Galilee ‘in the power of the Spirit’ (v.14). He went into the synagogue at Nazareth and revealed his manifesto. Reading from Isaiah 61 he said,

‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’ (Luke 4:18–19).

‘You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place’ (v.21)

The ‘Spirit of the Lord’ is the same as the Holy Spirit ‘whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior’ (Titus 3:6). In Jesus we see the fruit of a life filled with the Holy Spirit available to all who follow him.

Day 38

The Best Advice On How We Move Forward From Here (2 Parts)
Romans 12 How To Be A Living Sacrifice
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Part 2
Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord . Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Day 39
Meditate in awe and amazement at the wonder of forgiveness.
We have a tendency to take forgiveness for granted. The poet Heinrich Heine once said, ‘Dieu me pardonnera. C’est son métier.’ (God will forgive me. It is his job.) In one sense, nothing could be further from the truth. Sin has a very high cost (16:38). Many of the things we read about in the Old Testament strike us as ‘awful’ in the sense that they seem to be appalling.
However, another sense of the word ‘awful’ is ‘filled with awe’. One dictionary definition of ‘awful’ is ‘worthy of or commanding profound respect or reverential fear or wonder… solemnly impressive, sublimely majestic’. The language in this passage shows the seriousness of sin – its cost and the reaction of God to it: ‘Wrath has come out from the Lord’ (v.46). God is not pleased at, for example, ‘constant grumbling’ (17:5).
Sin required atonement (16:46). There was a need for redemption (18:15–16). Sprinkling of blood was required (v.17). The setting up of the Levitical priesthood was necessary to foreshadow and prepare the way for Jesus, the great high priest, whose blood was sprinkled and who made atonement to redeem us from our sins (Hebrews 4:14; 12:24; 2:17).
Unless you understand the seriousness of sin and the Old Testament background, which shows the difficulty and complication of receiving forgiveness, you will not understand how wonderful, awesome and amazing God’s forgiveness is. Forgiveness is not automatic, but it is made possible by Jesus. As you meditate on what God has done you should be filled with wonder, awe and amazement.
Day 40
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord ! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:12‭-‬15 I don’t know exactly why it makes me feel so happy that Jesus rode in on a donkey, but it just does. That’s the kind of King I can follow anytime, anywhere. Jesus is given over a hundred titles in the Bible. Today’s reading gives us 7 of those titles: The Wisdom of God, Proverbs 8 (because he shows us how to live). Bridegroom, Luke 5 & 6 (because of the intimacy available and our preparation for him. Son of Man, Luke 6 (combines authority and power with humility and suffering). Lord, Luke 6 (the Lord of the Sabbath looks to the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law). Mediator, Numbers 19 (takes the place of the ritual sacrifices). Rock, Corinthians 10 (waters of life flow abundantly from our spiritual rock). Great High Priest, Hebrews 4 (he always lives to intercede for us). Each title reveals something distinct about Jesus. They help you to see what it means to put Jesus in the center of your life. These are just 7 of a hundred titles, and an illustration of how the Savior can be everything in your life; not just everything good but also a loving vessel to escort you through everything bad.
Author’s Note:
It has been my honor to be with you every day for 40 days. I hope you continue a personal study. I found through this fast that I have true freedom through my spirituality and that the only thing I need every single day is The Word. If any of you find a message you want to share with the group in the next week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, please send it here. I will continue praying for you all and hope you will do the same for me.
“We shall meet on that beautiful shore.” Love you always, Fahf

Special Edition Flog: Spiritual Study/Fast, Days 21 – 30

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Day 21
     And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6
     Yesterday a random man walked up. He was severely mentally ill, to the point that he was speaking mostly gibberish. One thing I made out was, “I hate numbers. 4:34.” I gave the man some sausage and cheese, which was the only thing on hand. When I handed him the food he became coherent again and said, “this is a crazy way for God to work.” This is the second time a complete stranger has approached in the last few weeks to say something out of the ordinary. Today let us be open to receive messages. Sometimes they come from the most unlikely of sources.
Day 22

Everything You Give Out of Love Is A Beautiful Thing

     “a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume … She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
Mark 14:4

     It is our very love for Jesus that overflows into love for others, especially the poor. Love like this lies behind the anointing of Jesus’ body. This woman acted out of gratitude and love for Jesus. In light of this, her extravagance with very expensive perfume (probably a year’s wages) was not a ‘waste’ (14:4). Of course, Jesus was not unmindful of the needs of the poor. However, he said the money she gave was not wasted: ‘She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial’
In Jesus’ eyes, nothing you give out of love for him is ever wasted (vv.7–8) or ever forgotten by him (v.9). Rather, he sees everything you give out of love for him as ‘a beautiful thing’ (v.6). There is something beautiful about every act of generosity.
Day 23
On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” Mark 14
     In one of our earlier studies we touched on the notion that as human beings we are created to desire/need interconnection with other humans. Yet we are all faced with isolation at times. In today’s reading we find that Jesus experienced isolation, in fact, his abandonment was complete in the worst moment of his life. Even his disciples, who proclaimed him the Messiah and gave up their lives to follow him, were not able to stand with him in his most desperate moment of need.
     Sometimes we suffer alone. This underscores the need for an intimate relationship with the Father, who has promised to cover us even when “sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors— even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. Psalms 31:10‭-‬12” Even in the darkest hour, as we learn from the prophet Isaiah, when we believe there is nothing left and we are completely worthless “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isaiah 6:5) we can be called to our greatest moment. As a matter of fact, we are given example after example that the worst moment of our lives can be the VERY moment we learn the great purpose of our lives. Call on your Father for an answer. He will be faithful.
Day 24
You Are Called To Be Authentic
     The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.”
Mark 14:44

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. He said, ‘The one I kiss is the man’ (v.44a). He went up to Jesus and ‘kissed him’ (v.45).In Greek, the word for hypocrisy is the same word as the word for mask (masks were used in Ancient Greece for acting). On the outside Judas was wearing a mask of love for Jesus. In reality, he was betraying him to be crucified. The kiss was the ultimate act of hypocrisy.

How can your unique gift be used in the world if you hide your authentic self? Those things that some people ridicule are the very things that set you apart from the crowd. Consider whether you’re masking yourself for whatever reason and recognize that your authentic self is highly valuable to the Creator. Take the mask off. Let your freak flag fly 😁

Day 25
      Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12
     Yesterday we talked about removing the mask. Today’s message seems to continue that line of thought. All through the new testament we hear advice and warnings about practicing the faith – it will set us apart, we will not fit in, we may be persecuted, we may be hated, etc. But one of the benefits of leaning in to the faith is a promised transformation wherein we learn the purpose of our “freak flag” or our unique creation as an individual. We are promised that we will one day understand the unique gift that is given to us. Even our way of thinking transforms into something good and pleasing and perfect.
     The verse says “you will learn”, which to me sounds like it doesn’t happen overnight but that the transformation happens with time as your faith grows. It is a process. It is an every day growth that defies stagnation. But it is up to us to make that growth happen. It isnt anything forced. But by choice it is a beautiful, miracle process that can provide the answers about ourselves that we seek but never find from any other source in our toil here on the earth. Have a happy weekend, Loved Ones, Be Transformed.

Day 26
Forgive Yourself

The key to forgiving others and yourself is, knowing how much the Father has forgiven you. Forgiven people forgive.

C.S. Lewis pointed out, ‘forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’

The route to forgiveness is to come to the Lord with no mask or pretence: ‘Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” – and you forgave the guilt of my sin’ (v.5).

The apostle Paul quotes this psalm as evidence that through the death of Jesus, God credits you with righteousness by faith and that forgiveness is not something you can earn by good works (see Romans 4:6-8). Through the cross, God restores you to a right relationship with him. Therefore, you can pray to him (Psalm 32:6a). He becomes your ‘hiding-place’ (v.7a). He protects you from trouble (v.7b). He guides you (and his ‘unfailing love surrounds’ you (v.10).

This is not earned by good works. It comes to the person who trusts in him by faith (v.10). A proper understanding of the Old Testament shows that the path to forgiveness is repentance and faith.

Forgiveness is not a reason to sin – it is an incentive not to sin. We want to stay on the path. He promises guidance: ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you’

Follow the promptings of the Spirit. He wants you to hear his voice daily, listen to his instruction, walk in his ways and trust in his love.

 

Day 27

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6‭-‬7

Yesterday I saw the blooms out on the trees and I thought about Dad’s vineyard. This is the time of year when we prune the vines. I remembered when Dad first planted the vineyard and I asked him about watering the vines. He explained that when you first plant you must water them thoroughly, so that the roots will reach deep in the ground for their water, rather than growing shallow near the surface. In this way the grape vines will be impervious to the climate extremes in Oklahoma. Drought, hail storms, blizzards … the growth on the surface may appear withered in these desperate times but those roots have been trained to grow deep. They are still thriving far underground where their source of nutrients and water remains.

It is a good analogy for staying in the word. We can study our holy book every day for a lifetime and still there is more to learn. But a committed follower stores a deep well of instruction that will sustain him when the bitter winds blow. The purpose of our study together is to serve that very purpose: “let our roots grow down deep.” It is Monday, Day 27 and Spring is at hand.

Day 28

Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 25:17

The Israelites had and continue to have a lot of festivals. I’m not aware of another culture that officially celebrates more in any single year. Leviticus describes how the Israelites will have a “Year of Jubilee” once every fifty years. ‘In Christ, every day can be a year of Jubilee. We can have our own sins forgiven continually through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We can enjoy a continual year of Jubilee. The key to this chapter is ‘do not oppress one another’ (vv.14,17). It is not enough to be honest – we must also be considerate.

This is radically different from the world’s view. The world admires a person who makes money – however ruthlessly. They may be successful in one sense. But in our faith it is about how we treat others more than how much we own and especially about how we treat the poor (vv.25,35,39).

We are only stewards. The Lord says, ‘The land is mine… you reside… as foreigners and strangers’ (v.23). This is how we should regard property and possessions. They belong to the Father. They are on loan to you. We are taught that there is no such thing as permanent wealth. You own what you own for a season. It is only God who owns them permanently.

Day 29

Res Ipsa Loquitor

In law school we learned this Latin legalese. It means “the thing speaks for itself”. Today, I’ll let the verse do just that. It’s best that way, anyhow.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22‭-‬23

Day 30!

We’ve been connecting every day for 30 days now. We’re 3/4 of the way finished with the spiritual study/fast. This 40 day fast will be finished on March 25th. It has been a real joy for me! Speaking of joy … Happiness is dependent on what happens – our circumstances. Joy is not dependent on our outward circumstances. It is a blessing from God. Joy was the characteristic of an encounter with Jesus even in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:44).

Today’s New Testament passage uses a Greek word that we translate ‘blessed’. It means to be the privileged recipient of God’s favor, and to be fortunate and happy because of it. You are blessed by a savior (‘God my Savior’, v.47). The promise to fill the hungry with good things (v.53) – the promise of God’s favor to satisfy your spiritual hunger with his provision applies to you and me. In Numbers we see that God’s presence with his people was limited. The people were barred from the sanctuary (v.10), the heart of God’s presence. The extraordinary message of the New Testament is that this separation has now been removed. Jesus brings God’s presence to us (John 1:14). Jesus has given you the Holy Spirit, who is God’s empowering presence dwelling within you (1 Corinthians 6:19). We experience God’s presence especially when we gather together (Matthew 18:20). ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good…’ (Psalm 34:8).

Special Edition Flog: Spiritual Study/Fast, Days 11-20

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I’m adding here the first two weeks of my spiritual study/fast, which I happen to believe is about as individualized and personal as it gets. I’ll let you decide how you want to proceed on your own terms. I started this on Valentine’s Day and have been sending it out daily to very close friends and family. Each read is short and I  will update this site daily for the next 26 days with a new reading each day. Here we go with Days 8-12

Day 11

21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work. Exodus 35:21

It is true that the freest, most high I have ever felt in life was when I gave everything away -even my shoes- in Africa. Things weighed me down, even though we are taught in society to believe that ‘things’ fulfill us. But it isn’t just material gifts we can give away to free ourselves. We are told that each of us is given a special “gift” to use in service and as an offering. Today is a good day to consider these questions very seriously: what is my gift? – because I promise you do have one – and, if I already know my gift, am I putting it to use or has it been wasted on me? If wasted before, what can I do now to make use of my gift? Be strong and courageous in love today.

Day 12

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

Happy Sunday, Loved Ones, feel the warm sunshine!! Bob Dylan wrote, “to live outside the law you must be honest” (Absolutely Sweet Marie). This verse from Galatians about freedom is one of my favorites and Bob’s line seems to mirror the idea. There is an incredible freedom that comes with believing the way we do. In a way we are freed from the laws that bind human toil and suffering. But what good is our freedom if it is squandered on meaningless things? This isn’t a judgment it’s simply a fact – we know it to be true – real love is the only thing worth living for, and real love as I’ve seen it acted out here on earth means service, or selflessness. Using my freedom to serve you in love means I give myself and my priorities up for a time in order to put yours first. This is the cost of the freedom we have been given. So now tell me…what can I do for you?
“Well, six white horses that you did promise Were fin’lly delivered down to the penitentiary But to live outside the law, you must be honest I know you always say that you agree Alright so where are you tonight, sweet Marie?”

 Day 13

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. Mark 9:7

Lucky #13 From this verse we learn that even the disciples in the very presence of Jesus himself had trouble grasping the things they saw and heard. I watched a documentary about a preacher who could not find his son on 9/11. The preacher publicly demanded a miracle from God, stating that he had given his entire life to serve Him, and he now demanded that God deliver his son from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. The next day his phone rang. Recovery workers had found his son, and he had to go identify the remains. That’s a very dramatic example of an answered prayer, although I’m sure the preacher didn’t see it that way at the time. “Are my eyes open and is my heart ready to see and understand the miracles and signs around me?”

Day 14

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. Psalm 27:3

Two weeks! When we started on Valentine’s Day I felt a twinge of fear for the challenge that lay ahead in the next 40 days. Those fears turned out to be unfounded as so many fears do. I’d say the dominant theme of the past two weeks has been freedom granted through our faith. I didn’t design it that way, it just happened. Every day before I read I pray for guidance about the message I should send out. Fear is an abundant commodity and it makes the world of commerce go ’round. Fear causes knee jerk responses in our bodies, not only mentally but biologically as well. Fear is human, of course, and in ye olde caveman days, it helped us survive. Not so much anymore. We are specifically instructed by our faith to not worry – which is easier said than done – but isn’t it the truth that worry will not add a single day to our lives and that tomorrow’s troubles are best dealt with tomorrow? Today we are tasked with the challenge of rising above our most basal human tendencies. Leave the fear and worry behind, it will only slow you down. Trust and move forward knowing that you are loved and favored, and, if you slip we will be around to pick you back up again as many times as it takes. That is freedom in love, absent fear.

Day 15

“When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Mark 10:14

My only reference point here is to try and think back to my own defining qualities as a child. I can think of a few, and even remember how it felt. For one, I was CURIOUS. I wanted to know everything. I asked questions all day long and the only people who weren’t annoyed by that were my parents and my first grade teacher, who encouraged me. Even the kids were like, “jeez louise, shut up already.”

I was very TRUSTING. I knew without a doubt that my needs would be met – as a matter of fact, I wasn’t even aware that I had any needs – that’s how certain I felt.

I was always ENTHUSED. Everything I saw, even things as banal as hedges, struck me as a great wonder. Everything about the world around amazed me.

Fast forward to today. After 40 years peppered with heartache, humiliation, loss, bitterness… these things can rob us of the elation we experienced at life’s beginning.

Today I will pray that those hard and false shells that build up on me over time will be taken away, so I can be new again. Let my curiosity, trust and enthusiasm return to me so I can see more clearly through the lens of the supernatural being that I am, not through the dark shades the world has placed over my eyes.

Day 16

“So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42

Yesterday I prayed that the hard calluses of my life be removed so my heart could become more childlike (curious, trusting, enthused). It seemed as though I sent out an invitation to fight. I’m not being dramatic, I haven’t encountered that level of negativity in a very long time. It came from multiple sources. One person insulted my family, one person insulted my body and another questioned my faith.

The teachings in our faith are not just arbitrary rules set out to control us, as many laws are. These are tenets for living, set out by the ultimate practitioner, who followed them all the way down. They are not consistent with human nature. It feels natural if someone hits you to hit back, right? It’s only fair, right? But in practice, forgiveness, mercy and grace not only benefit the person who wronged you, they also serve as gifts to yourself.

The word servant is an especially loaded word. I’m speaking of myself when I say that pride is often the blockade to achieving a servant mentality toward my brothers and sisters (when I say brothers and sisters I mean everyone, not just people of faith). If I know I’m right, why should I back down?

Grace is why I should back down. It has been given freely to me such that I can also give it away. It isn’t always easy, sometimes it’s near impossible. But it is for our own benefit in an eternal perspective, which is the perspective we are taught to seek during our time on this earth.
May we go with grace today. Love, light and lots of salt. Faif

Day 17

Today I’m borrowing in large part from a lent devotional study. I Love you all. “Lean on me.” God makes this invitation to you and me in every moment of our lives. We can choose to respond, “Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me.” But as for me, my focus often remains stuck on myself. I become caught up either in all that I accomplish or in all that I have left undone. I believe circumstances are either the result of my own abilities or the fault of my own limitations. When life is all about me, I am blinded from the reality of my complete dependence upon my Creator. The noise of arrogance and anxiety deafens. We are designed by God to be dependent. It is a twofold dependence – first, directly upon God, and second, indirectly upon God through those people God brings into our lives. Our existence is to be one of interconnection, not isolation. As Jesus lived his life on earth as both God and human being, he lived the ultimate life of continual dependence upon his Father; yet he also depended upon the provision from his Father through other human beings. God provided for Jesus’ human life through Mary. Mary first carried Jesus inside her body and then in her arms. The nourishment Mary took in was the first nourishment he received. She prepared his daily bread and mothered him with all her heart – satisfying one of the deepest needs of the human soul. Today let us do away with pride and embrace our dependence on the Creator and the people surrounding us who seek to genuinely help satisfy our spiritual needs in love.

Day 18

Mark 5:1

5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

How many times do we encounter and judge a troubled person? How many times should we show them love before we throw up our hands and turn away? There are many reasons to explain illness and anger. Life is hard, sometimes it is hard even on little children, who sometimes become angry and grow up to become angry adults. At what point do we draw the line? When do we give up on people and shun them? I think Jesus shows here that the answer is never. A man dwelling in caves and cutting himself – it’s hard to imagine something more disturbing than that. The term Christian translates to “Little Christ”. We can’t achieve that perfection but every day it is our journey to become more Christlike. That means showing hope and giving love even to the crying dude in the cave.

Day 19

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

No one is harder on me than me. During the lowest times I experience feelings of loathing for myself and my life choices, my body, my face, everything about me seems a disgrace. But then my Ma tells me I am her magnum opus, and she says it in such a way that I believe that she believes what she is saying. Magnum opus means an artist’s largest, and most important work.

The thing is, she also says that to my sisters. How can we each one be her greatest? It must be because we are each so different that we defy comparison. Like comparing apples and pineapples, know what I mean?

(Melissa, you’re the pineapple 😉).

This verse confirms that the Father feels about each of us in a similar manner. Pair this verse with the one that says “you knitted me in the womb … for I am fearfully and wonderfully made -Psalms” and we begin to understand that if we could only see ourselves as the Creator sees us, we would never feel anything but gratitude for everything (the flaws, the quirks, the freaky parts) that makes up who we are.

We are the master works of the most high. We are spiritual, eternal beings. Regard yourself and TREAT yourself accordingly, won’t you? And once you’ve done that, come to recognize that your brothers and sisters are masterpieces, too. Happy Sunday, I love you.

Day 20

It is Day 20! Halfway through a 40 day study/fast. How do you feel about it? My hope is that it doesn’t become repetitive or routine. The point of the study is not to follow archaic tradition, but to learn to lean in on a daily basis. None of us have given up all that much, and the act isn’t required of by faith – but it aids in tuning out daily distractions and leaning in on our faith, as well as bringing us together as a group traveling a common road. We are stronger together because when one person slips we stop and pick her up. There is freedom to be found in that kind of unconditional love. Go where you’re led to go. I’ll be right next to you.

Jesus replied “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord . And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Mark 12:28–37

There is something delightful about the teaching of Jesus: ‘The large crowd listened to him with delight’(v.37b). At the center of the message of Jesus is a love relationship with the Lord your God, which starts with your heart and overflows into a love for other people.

Who is ‘the Lord’? The question underlying all this quizzing of Jesus is, ‘Who does this man think he is?’ In the temple courts, Jesus turns the tables on them by challenging their assumptions about the coming Messiah (‘the Christ’, v.35).

He challenges the idea that the Christ will simply be a king from David’s line. He will not only be a son of David, he will be David’s Lord. We now know that Jesus is ‘the Lord’. The command to love the Lord with all your heart is a command to love Jesus with all your heart. Jesus is concerned not with legalistic literalism, but with the spirit of the law. He is concerned not with appearances but with the true state of your heart.

Special Edition Flog: Six Week Spiritual Study/Fast, Days 1-10

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I’m adding here the first two weeks of my spiritual study/fast, which I happen to believe is about as individualized and as personal as it gets. So I’ll let you decide how you want to proceed on your own terms. I started this on Valentine’s Day and have been sending it out daily to very close friends and family. Each read is short and i will update this site daily for the next 26 days with a new reading each day. Here we go with Days 1 – 7:

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

“Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3 NLT

Awakening. In our society one of the ultimate goals is comfort. But that is the opposite of what we are taught to seek. Our teacher tells us to give our things away and not to worry where the next meal will come from. By rejecting “things” and materialistic goals we bare ourselves, we shed meaningless connections that weigh us down, become more honest and vulnerable and thereby allow ourselves to cling to a more intimate spiritual relationship. Even when EVERYTHING is lost we are fed.

Day 9

Mark 6:35

35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

37 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

This passage is, of course, leading up to the miracle of dividing the loaves and fishes to feed the crowd. It struck me as I read it this time as a direct instruction. We are not supposed to be on the sideline. When was the last time I gave food to a hungry man? Maybe when I was in Africa. But knowing people are hungry all around me I haven’t fed a single person since that I can remember. Meantime I haven’t missed a single meal, as you can see by looking at me! So what if that panhandler isn’t really down on his luck? What’s it to me? The fact is he is on the street asking for help. What good am I to the Faith I claim so fervently if I can’t at the very least help HIM. Jesus said it right and simple, no stuttering at all. YOU FEED THEM

Day 10

2 Corinthians 3:16

16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

 It is Day 10! In a 40 day fast and study we have made it 1/4 of the way. Although we are not together physically I know you are experiencing the struggles that come with undertaking this commitment. It has been a challenge, and that’s all I have to say about THAT. Thank you for taking The Weight up with me. Today we learn that the veil is lifted and we are transformed. In the Torah, Moses became radiant after being in the presence of The Creator such that he had to cover his face with a veil. In today’s verse Paul explains that the radiant freedom that comes from turning to Yahweh no longer requires a veil – it is reflected to those around us. Don’t fear the metamorphosis out of the old things that bound you up in chains. Allow your radiance to pour out around you. It will affect those whom you don’t even know are watching.